FKS Choice Awards Autumn, 2013 : Best Multi-Chapter
by klainebows fangirling
Summary: Here are the nominated stories. Nominate more! Your suggestions are welcome. [16 spots left for nominations!] / Rated K but the stories can be rated M or T.
1. Nominated Stories

**The nominated stories for FK Autumn Choice Awards, category: Best Multi-Chapter are:**

_Beth I Hear You Calling: by readbetweenthesigns_

_Sexiled_

_Invisible_

**Nominate more! Send them in a PM.**


	2. Beth I Hear You Calling

Beth I Hear You Calling Chapter 1, a glee fanfic | FanFiction

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a Quick fanfiction by readbetweenthesigns. It is nominated as Best Multi-Chapter. If you want to continue reading it, search for the story because it won't be posted here (read my profile for more information). It is recommended for you to do that because you'll know which one you want to vote for.**

"Mom," came the whispered voice from the doorway. "Mom." A little louder this time but still whispered. Quinn woke with a start, she shook her head and glanced to where she thought she'd heard a sound. Beth stood in the partially open doorway.

"Beth, what's wrong?" Quinn whispered, looking over her shoulder at her sleeping husband.

"Mom I need you," Beth whispered, her voice breaking. Quinn got out of bed and pulled her robe on over her shorts and top.

Out in the hallway she said quietly to Beth, "Are you ill? What's wrong? It's only 5.30, what are you doing up at this time?"

"I need to talk to you," Beth whispered, leading the way to her bedroom. Inside she went and sat on her bed. As soon as Quinn followed her in Beth handed her a white plastic wand. Beth closed her eyes and couldn't help but start crying.

Quinn closed her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't say the words out loud but she wanted to scream at her daughter, "NO NO NO NO NO NO! WE DID NOT WANT THIS FOR YOU!" She opened her eyes and looked at the wand. The screen showed just one word, 'pregnant'. "Oh Beth." Quinn sighed, sitting beside her on her bed. Beth had one foot on the bed, her arms round her lower leg, her mouth on her knee keeping the sobs from spilling out. Quinn pulled her daughter into her arms, Beth's head on her chest, her cheek on Beth's head, her hands rubbing and soothing her back and shoulders. "How far?" She asked. She felt Beth shrug. "You must have some idea. When was your last period?"

Beth lifted her head slightly. "I've missed two. I was hoping it would just go away….." then broke down again.

"Yeah, I know that feeling," Quinn murmured so very quietly, remembering back 17 years. "Who is it?" She asked Beth. "Who's the daddy?"

"Keegan." Beth whispered.

"Keegan Hudson?" Quinn asked, dreading the answer. She felt Beth nod.

"Please don't tell dad, not yet. He'll be so disappointed." Beth begged. She was right. Noah Puckerman would be disappointed. And ready to kill.

"He'll have to know Beth. It'd be better for you to tell him than for him to find out any other way." Quinn advised. "What do you want to do? Have you thought about your options. Have you discussed it with Keegan?" Again Beth shook her head.

"Keegan doesn't want to know. He said it was just a one night thing, he doesn't want a relationship with me. And he says it can't be his because he pulled out. It _is _his mom. That was the only time. Ever." Beth couldn't stem the tears.

Quinn's arms tightened round her daughter. "It's ok sweetie, try to calm down." Quinn buried her lips in Beth's hair, trying to hold back her own tears. "Try to get some rest and tomorrow we'll make an appointment to see Dr Chin, ok?" Quinn's head was buzzing, she knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep but she knew she had to try otherwise she would be no use to Beth later on in the day.

"S'up?" Puck murmured as Quinn got back into bed, "kids ok? Was that Beth at the door?" His voice was husky from sleep.

"It's fine, go back to sleep," Quinn whispered back, tucking herself in his arms.

Puck rocked against her, "Someone else is awake," he smiled, his eyes shut as he rolled Quinn to her back, coming over the top of her and claiming her mouth in a long hot kiss. Quinn wrapped round him tight, needing him. After all these years they still couldn't resist each other.

At brunch Beth was notably subdued. She sat in her usual place, a piece of toast being ripped to shreds on her plate but not actually being eaten. Puck glanced at Beth then back at Quinn. He looked around at everyone at the table, 13 year old Jesse, 9 year old Evie and 4 year old Reuben. None of them were taking notice of their oldest sister, who, on closer inspection looked ready to burst into tears at any given second. Quinn didn't look much happier.

"Somebody want to tell me what's going on?" Puck asked, glancing round. He saw Beth freeze for a split second and Quinn's eyes widen before she swallowed hard and tried to force out a laugh.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Quinn asked brightly, shaking her head.

"Q. How long have we known each other?" Puck asked. "A long time," he answered himself, "you've never been able to lie to me, so don't even start with that. I know something is going on and I know it has to do with Beth because she's the only one who can't look at me. So, come on. Spill. What's up?"

"Is it to do with Beth throwing up in the mornings?" Evie asked, "cos it wakes me up. It's not fair we have to share a bathroom."

Puck looked first to Quinn. From her expression he knew that she knew. Then he turned to Beth. Her head was still down only now he could see tears falling on her plate. "Jess, can you take your brother and sister upstairs please?" Puck asked, very quietly, not giving Jesse room for argument. "Now, please." The three younger Puckermans left the kitchen. The three older Puckermans sat where they were. "Right. Now do you want to tell me there's nothing going on? Or are we going to hear the truth?"

Beth raised her head, her face tear stained. "I'm sorry, daddy," she whispered, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for it to happen, it just happened."

Puck looked at Quinn, "Did you know about this?" He asked.

"Beth just told me this morning. I'm waiting till Dr Chin's office opens tomorrow to get her an appointment to discuss her options." Quinn told him steadily.

Puck threw his napkin down, "Come on Q. There aren't any options, we both know that. Who better. Would you have done anything differently? Cos I damn sure wouldn't have." He sighed and looked at his eldest child. "Who is it? Do I know the guy?"

Beth and Quinn exchanged a look, "It's Finn and Rachel's boy, Keegan. He's denying it though." Quinn told him. Puck looked murderous.

"He'll fucking deny it when I get hold of him. He knows I have a gun, right? He knows I'm a cop and he still thought this was a good idea?" Puck pulled his phone from his pocket. After scrolling down his list of contacts Puck made a call. "Hey, it's Puck, have you got a minute?"

The reply must have been positive because Puck made arrangements for Rachel, Finn and their three children to come over to visit. This morning.

Sundays in the Puckerman household were usually relaxed. Not this Sunday. Jesse, with the bribe of a new video game agreed to watch Reuben and let him play in his room. Evie happily went to her room to draw castles for her princesses to live in. She was willing to let Finn and Rachel's 7 year old twin daughters play with her when they arrived.

Puck answered the knock at the door. He welcomed the Hudsons, the twins grinned at him, "Hi Uncle Puck." They chimed together, as usual. Keegan didn't dare look up from the door step. Rachel kissed his cheek, "Hello Noah."

Puck replied, "Hey Rach, Finn," he nodded, tight lipped to the guy who had been his best friend for years. For the second time in their life an unplanned teen pregnancy was going to rock that friendship. He hoped they were strong enough to weather the storm.

"Hey Keegan, how _are_ you?" Puck asked him, deliberately making him lift his head. As soon as Keegan glanced at the man who'd been introduced as 'Uncle Puck' when his parents adopted him at the age of 8, he knew. He knew that Puck knew. And he knew that Puck was going to kill him. If his dad didn't get there first.

"Girls? Evie is upstairs in her room waiting for you. Do you want to go up and play?" Puck asked, gently steering them towards the stairs. They were frequent visitors to each others' houses so the girls knew the way.

"What's going on?" Finn asked, puzzled.

"I think you're going to want to sit down for this. We're in here." Puck led the way to the kitchen. Beth was still sat at the table, pulling at the cuffs of her sleeves, head down. Quinn was making coffee and getting cups ready.

"Hi," she smiled brightly, too brightly, then glanced at Keegan then at Beth.

"Crap." Was the only thought in Keegan's head.

"Take a seat." Puck offered and sat down himself next to Beth. Once Quinn had distributed coffee and everyone was sat, the usual pleasantries out of the way, Puck decided that it would be better to get everything out in the open. He didn't want to be the one to say it though, he wanted Keegan to man up. "So," he said, taking Beth's cold hand in his, "do you want to tell your mom and dad why we're here, Keegan?"

Keegan shrugged, looking at the table, then looking out of the window, then back to the table. Puck waited a good few minutes but Keegan didn't speak. He swallowed a lot but he didn't speak. Beth was in tears again.

"Well, ok, if you're not man enough," Puck started.

Finn butted in. "What do you mean? Not man enough? What's going on? What's Keegan done? Or what do you think he's done?" Finn sounded very protective.

Keegan looked up then, at Beth, at her dad. He looked to the opposite side of the table at his parents, "I'm sorry. I never meant it to happen" he whispered.

"Never meant what Keegan?" Rachel asked, desperate to know how to help her son.

"I didn't mean to get Beth pregnant. I'm sorry." Keegan's voice was barely audible.

"Oh my God." Finn sank back in his seat.

"So you're not denying it?" Puck asked. "I'm just making sure because Beth was convinced you'd told her it couldn't be yours because you'd 'pulled out'." Puck used air quotes. "And that was way more information than a father wants to hear from his daughter let me tell you."

Keegan closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's mine." He looked at Beth. "I'm so sorry Beth."

"Yeah, well, sorry just isn't going to make this go away now is it?" Puck's voice was hard. Finn and Rachel had yet to even make a comment, they were still processing. "What possessed you, either of you to have sex without protection?" Puck couldn't help but ask. "To have sex at all at your age, come to that."

"Oh that's a good one coming from you." Finn finally found his voice. "I seem to remember something similar happening with you when we were the same age. With _my_ girlfriend." He looked pointedly at Quinn.

"Arguing about the past isn't going to change the future," Quinn put in. "I'm going to take Beth to see Dr Chin tomorrow. Keegan you're welcome to come too if you'd like, this involves you as much as it does Beth."

Keegan looked to his parents as if seeking permission to go with Quinn and Beth tomorrow. "I think you should," Rachel managed, her voice thick with tears. "You need to know what options are available to you and you both need to decide." Rachel couldn't go on any further.

Beth spoke up for the first time. "I want to keep it." She whispered, looking at her parents first, "I know it was hard for you when you made the choice to have me and bring me up. You could have had me adopted or had an abortion but you didn't. I can't either."

"Beth, sweetie," Puck began, "it's not going to be easy, but you've got me and your mom. We'll help all we can. And if Keegan is willing to be involved…." he looked over at the boy who looked just as scared as he had been 17 years ago when he found out from Finn that Quinn was pregnant.

"I'll come with you." Keegan said, making up his mind that he couldn't abandon Beth. His initial reaction when she'd told him she thought she might be pregnant was something he regretted. Words he couldn't take back. "Can my mom come too?" He asked. Beth nodded her agreement.

"I think you two need to talk." Puck told them. Beth and Keegan stood and left the kitchen. As the four parents watched them leave and head for the stairs Puck called after them, "family room, don't even _think_ of going upstairs."

"Isn't that like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted?" Commented Rachel.

"As long as Keegan keeps his stable door closed from now on I won't need to bolt him to anything." Puck replied. "How far on is she?" He asked Quinn.

"Well, from the dates she's about two and a half months." Quinn said, tracing patterns on the table with her finger, not wanting everyone to see the tears in her eyes.

"That'll make her just seventeen when it's born." Puck put his hands on his face, his elbows on the table. "Fuck," he whispered, "grandparents at thirty-fucking-three. Thirty three? Grandparents are supposed to be old, white haired, retired. Fuck." He shook his head sadly. "I know how my mom felt now when we told her you were pregnant with Beth. Ah crap. Who's going to tell her about this?" His hands going back over his face.

"She's your mother Puckerman." Was all Quinn said, knowing his reply would be fast.

"Yeah but she likes you more than she likes me." Puck always said that about his mom. It wasn't really true, but he always said it.

"What were they thinking?" Rachel asked. "I mean, we've had 'the talk' with Keegan plenty of times. He knows how to be safe and the consequences."

"Sometimes, at that age a guy isn't thinking with the brain in his head Rach." Puck sighed, "I know I usually wasn't."

"Still don't," Quinn nudged his shoulder. "At least you'll be a sexy hot grandpa."

"I'm glad you're finding this amusing Quinn." Finn said, stuffily, "I'm not finding anything to laugh at about the whole situation."

"Amusing? You think I find the thought of your son fucking my daughter amusing?" Quinn hissed. "And that he couldn't even be bothered to protect her? Oh yeah, I'm just having the _best_ fucking day ever."

Finn leant back in his seat, his eyes wide as Quinn had leant forward, the anger she genuinely felt flashing in her eyes. He remembered Scary Quinn from when they were at school. Scary Protective Mommy Quinn was in a league of her own.

"Come on Quinn, chill." Puck took her hand. "What's done is done. We can't change that, we can only help them go forward. They might change their minds after the appointment tomorrow. As much as I'd hate them to even consider the other two options, they might decide against keeping the baby."

"I don't think they will." Rachel said softly, "I mean, Keegan hated that he was adopted. He wanted to be with his birth mom, not with us. I know he was older but it's taken a long time for him to accept that he is as much a part of our life as Lily and Cora. I don't think he'd be able to give up his child for adoption.

As the parents sat drinking coffee in the kitchen, Beth and Keegan sat in the family room barely talking. "You know they're all going to be talking about us at school, don't you?" Beth whispered, breaking the silence. "My mom, when she was giving me 'the talk' told me how it was for her and my dad when she was pregnant with me. I mean, when she got pregnant she was dating _your_ dad then lied to him telling him he was _my_ dad. He eventually found out that he wasn't and who my dad really was and it nearly ruined their friendship, they've been friends for I don't know, nearly thirty years. Anyway, right up until I was born my mom was going to give me up for adoption, she said my dad was too immature to take care of us and her parents had disowned her." Beth swallowed hard wondering what her life might have been like in another world. "The day I was born they'd been on stage singing in a Glee competition," Beth indicated towards the kitchen, "all of them, have you never heard this story before?" She asked Keegan. He shook his head. Beth shrugged and carried on, "you know Uncle Kurt obviously and the others, Artie, Tina, Mike, Mercedes, Brittany, Aunty Tana and another guy they haven't seen for years, I forget his name. Anyway when they came off stage my mom's water broke, they rushed to the hospital, I was born and when they were looking at me through the nursery window, just the two of them, my dad admitted to my mom that he did love her, always had. Then he asked her if she wanted to keep me and she said yes. And they've been together ever since." Beth sniffed back a sob.

The four adults at the table were no closer to a solution than they had been an hour ago when Finn and Rachel became aware of the situation. They all turned towards the front door and saw Puck's mom let herself in.

"Hey Ma," Puck smiled. Great. Just what we don't fucking need today, my mother for Sunday lunch.

"Hi Rosa, how are you?" Quinn stood to greet her mother-in-law.

"I'm good." She kissed Quinn's cheek and in passing smacked a kiss on top of Puck's head. "Don't get up son, it's ok, it's not like I raised you with any manners anyway." She teased. "Hello Rachel, Finn." She nodded at them.

"Did you invite yourself for lunch again Ma?" Puck asked her.

"Err, no. I invited myself to spend time with my grandchildren if you must know." Rosa said, the hesitation at the beginning of her sentence barely noticeable. Barley. Quinn caught it and gave her a narrow eyed look. She knew. Rosa knew. Rosa had probably been the one to encourage Beth to tell her mom.

"When did she tell you?" Quinn asked, her gaze on Rosa's face.

Rosa thought about denying all knowledge but from the look on Quinn's face realised that it would be a waste of time. She sighed, "Yesterday, after Temple."

"And you told her she should tell us, right?" Quinn asked. Rosa nodded.

"And obviously she has." Rosa took a seat and accepted the coffee Quinn brought her. "How is she? I take it the test was positive?"

"Yeah." Puck confirmed. "You're going to be a great nana." He looked at his mom and saw from the sad smile she gave him she was remembering the day he brought Quinn home with him and told her she was going to be a nana.

"Has she said anything at all?" Rosa asked, "I mean, yesterday she didn't say who did the deed. I take it from you two being here," she glanced towards Rachel and Finn, "and the super happy atmosphere that it's possibly Keegan who's responsible?" All four nodded. "I thought so. I mean, they've always been close, ever since he came into your lives."

"A lot closer than we ever realised." Puck muttered. "You know Q, I have a total understanding of how your dad felt now. Not that I'd react the same way, but God. My baby girl. Sorry Finn, but I just want to rip his fucking heart out."

"Don't do that dad," Beth gave him a little smile from the doorway, "I'd hate for you to have to arrest yourself. Hey Nana."

"Hi sweetie," Rosa smiled at her oldest grandchild, noting the scared looking boy stood behind her, "how are you today? Feel better for everything being out in the open?"

"Yeah, I kinda do actually," she nodded. "And you were right, they didn't kill me."

"I told you they wouldn't." Rosa smiled again. I mean, what could they do? Their daughter was only treading the same path they had, and they'd survived. It hadn't been without hardship but they'd survived. They'd help their daughter to survive too. That's what families do.


	3. Rachel's Reasons

Rachel's Reasons Chapter 1: Prologue, a glee fanfic | FanFiction

******AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a Finchel fanfiction by IloveheartlandX. It is nominated as Best Multi-Chapter. If you want to continue reading it, search for the story because it won't be posted here (read my profile for more information). It is recommended for you to do that because you'll know which one you want to vote for.**

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Finn honey there's a box for you down here!" my mom calls from downstairs. I am confused, I barely ever get packages. "Who's it from?" I ask when I get downstairs. "Rachel Berry" she says handing the package over wordlessly. Rachel? My Rachel? That was impossible. Rachel Berry killed herself 2 weeks ago, there's no way iit can be from her.

"Finn honey are you ok?" my mom asks. I realise that I haven't said anything since she passed me the box. "Yeah I'm fine" I say. "Okay well if you want some dinner, I'm making your favourite chicken pot pie" she says. As much as chicken pot pie tempts me I can't eat right now. I have to see what's in the box from my dead ex girlfriend. I shake my head and take the box up to my room.

I open the box and out falls 13 tapes. Each one with a number on it in nail polish and one of Rachel's signature gold stars in the corner. Okay so they're definitely from Rachel but why tapes? No one has tapes any more, barely anyone even uses CD's, everything's digital. I'm not even sure if I have a tape player to play these on. "Hey Mom, do you have a tape player?" I call downstairs. "In the closet in my room honey. Why do you need a tape player?" she asks. "Oh a friend gave me some new music to try out. I guess they'd run out of CD's" I say. "Okay well the tape player's in the closet" she says.

I go into my mom's room and take out the tape player. I bring it back to my room and slide in the first tape. I press play on the cassette and begin to listen.

_Hello everyone. Bet you're surprised to hear from me. It's your old friend Rachel Berry, back from the dead._

There's absolutely no way. Rachel killed herself two weeks ago- I remember getting the sobbing phone call from Kurt telling me all about it- him and Santana found her dead on her bed when they came back from class.

_Not literally back from the dead but I am making my final return performance. There's no going back this time, this show is a one night only thing. These tapes tell the story of my life or rather why I ended it. And if you're listening to these tapes, that means you are one of my reasons. Lucky you!_

No way! I can't possibly be one of the reasons that the love of my life is dead. I didn't do anything that would make Rachel want to kill herself. Or did I? I honestly don't know anymore.

_I'm not going to tell you when your tape is coming up until the tape before it. But don't think that your tape isn't coming because if you got this box then you are on my tapes._

So this isn't just some crazy nightmare I'm having. The girl that I thought was my future wife, really does think that I am one of the reasons why she had to kill herself. And I have no idea what I did or why it made her do what she did. I loved her and she broke my heart. I want to stop listening but I don't. These are my dead love's last words and I want to listen to every one.

_So this is what you have to do. Listen to the tapes, every single one. Don't just skip to the one that involves you because you won't know which one it is. I went to the trouble of making these tapes, the least you can do is listen._

I will Rach. I promise. No matter how much it hurts me, I want to understand why you did this. Why you ripped out my heart by taking your life. It's not going to be easy but I have to understand. I want to know what I did wrong.

_And number two, you pass the tapes on to whoever's tape is after yours. Hopefully neither of these things will be easy for you- it wasn't easy living these stories so they certainly won't be easy for you to listen to. When you've finished listening to all thirteen tapes then rewind them and put them back in the box and send them on to whoever's tape follows yours. And lucky number thirteen, you can take the tapes straight to hell._

Was I lucky number thirteen? I sure hope not. This doesn't sound like the Rachel I knew, so bitter and hate filled. But then again I never thought she'd kill herself so maybe I didn't know her as well as I thought I did.

_In case you think you can break the rules and not listen to my story and not pass the tapes on because you don't want anyone else to know the hateful things you did to me then don't. Because there's another set of tapes. And if someone breaks the rules then they will be released to everyone in school. So for your own sake, listen and pass them on. Some of you will not want your stories to be known. You are being watched. Remember that._

This can't be right. What could I have done to Rach to make her put me on her list? This must be some kind of prank from people at school. Still if the contents of the tapes are so terrible I have to listen. Just to make sure no one else ever has to go through this pain.

_So let's get started. The first tape. Are you ready? Well it doesn't matter because I'm starting anyway. This first story belongs to someone close to me. Biologically speaking I mean. Yeah that's right Mom. This one's for you, Shelby Corcoran._


	4. Sexiled

Sexiled Chapter 1, a glee fanfic | FanFiction

**********AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a Finchel fanfiction by henriettaline. It is nominated as Best Multi-Chapter. If you want to continue reading it, search for the story because it won't be posted here (read my profile for more information). It is recommended for you to do that because you'll know which one you want to vote for.**

_Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world_

_She took the midnight train going anywhere..._

Finn Hudson, backup quarterback for the WSU Raiders, sang softly along to his iPod as he waited for the McKinley Hall dorm elevator. It was early, and he needed the music to get his heart rate up in preparation for his morning run, a regular part of his training regimen. Sprints today. The rest of the dorm floor seemed asleep, his teammates mostly getting a later start due to having later classes, though his roommate Mike was already on his way to the swimming pool.

It was quiet, as was usual this early – until another voice joined in.

_Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit_

_He took the midnight train going anywhere_

Finn started, surprised at the interruption, and he turned to look for the voice. A young woman's voice, beautiful. He looked over at the furniture in the floor lounge nearby, and saw a pair of dark brown eyes looking back at him, from the face of a small dark-haired girl.

"You have a nice voice," she said, which wasn't something he was used to hearing.

"Ah... thanks," he answered, mostly by reflex. "So do you." Which she really did, at least what he'd heard despite his headphones. The girl was lying on one of the couches, wearing a long sleeved shirt and with a blanket over her; it looked like she'd spent the night in the lounge. Which wasn't safe, especially not for a small girl like her, and anyway the lounge was supposed to be cleared out at night. "You really shouldn't be here though," he said, uncertain. "You can't just hang around like this, you should have gone home." But she didn't look like a football groupie, not that there were all that many but there were some, and some that wouldn't take no for an answer. She looked too good to be one of them though, she looked too real.

She laughed then, sounding sort of bitter, which was unexpected and didn't seem to suit her. She seemed nice otherwise, but guarded. "I'd be more than happy to have slept in my own bed for the night."

"Uh..." he moved a little closer. She seemed to have gotten ready for bed, sleep-shirt, pillows, blanket – and those were the dorm ones, too. "Even if you're stuck, you can't do this. We can get away with guests in the rooms, but not out here." Had she been stuck when someone had her over and kicked her out late? He hoped she wasn't an ex-one-night-stand of a teammate, she looked way too nice for that.

She sat up, giving him a small pout, cute but not deliberately so, and sighed. "I'm not a guest," she answered wearily. "This is as close to where I'm supposed to be that I can get."

Finn was puzzled. He knew everyone on the floor, many of them had been here the previous year too, and anyway this was a jock floor, with the football players down the guys' hall and the cheerleaders down the girls'. Except –

"Oh, you're Santana's new roommate," he said, the light dawning. He wouldn't normally be able to make any kind of connection between the sweet girl in front of him and Santana's description of the "ugly little shemale who dresses like an eight-year-old," but Santana insulted everybody except her best friend Brittany. And the new girl would be the only one he hadn't met. Santana had gotten rid of her old roommate a couple of weeks ago, she had been furious to get a replacement, and rumor had it that the girl was too scared of Santana to be around when she didn't have to be.

"Only sometimes."

Finn chuckled at her apt comment, which at least didn't sound like she was anywhere near as scared as Santana had been claiming. Santana always made sure she got her space, though, which presumably was why she didn't room with Brittany. "Yeah, well, that's how she got rid of the last girl. She basically pretended she didn't have a roommate and soon enough it came true." He shook his head. "She was really pissed when a week later she was told she had a new one."

"I can tell."

"So she's been sexiling you, huh." This was also a safe guess, Santana often had guys over, she was known to be indiscriminate. She had tried her come-ons on Finn too, but he hadn't been interested, and she had even tried to get Mike at one point, despite Mike holding fast to his high school girlfriend Tina. Finn had lived it up more last fall, when he'd been a freshman, but even then he'd still known better than to add himself to Santana's extensive list, and by spring semester he had calmed down and gotten over the flattery of having girls throw themselves at him.

"Yes," the girl replied grimly. "I was informed in no uncertain terms about the signal and the protocol." Finn looked down the girls' hall, and sure enough there was a long sock hanging off the doorknob of Santana's room. Well, this girl's room too, at least when she was allowed in. The girl gestured at her blanket. "It's the third time already, so I've started to be prepared for when she shows up with whatever lowlife she picks up. It's bad enough that my apartment ceiling fell in, I don't know why there wasn't somewhere for me other than being forced to room with the queen of all the bitches and Neanderthals on this floor. And the RA is no help at all."

"You talked to the RA?" Finn was alarmed. Trying to get the RA to intervene in a roommate situation was usually a very bad idea, and their floor's RA was too involved with the athletics programs to want to make waves. "Look, complaining won't help, you don't want to piss off someone like Santana when she has access to your stuff and where you sleep at night." He saw her frown, again in a sort of sad pout that showed her frustration. And what she was talking about, it would suck, so he eased up. "Well, sometimes sleep at night, I guess," Finn joked tentatively, and he was relieved to see the girl's manner ease a little. She must be really tired, so he supposed he could let the 'Neanderthals' crack go, especially since it wasn't completely wrong when it came to some of his teammates. Clearly she hadn't made the connection between him living on this floor and who she knew lived there.

She yawned, stretching theatrically, then turned to the window. "What time is it?" she asked, looking at the grey sky.

"Seven."

She groaned, and flopped back down on the couch. "Last time the loser left at six so at least I could complete my morning ritual."

"Morning ritual?" Finn raised his eyebrows, skeptical.

She looked back at him, her face defensive. "Proper hygiene and hair and skin care is very important." She met his eyes again, then suddenly turned away, grabbing her pillow and facing the back of the couch. "As is proper rest."

Finn rolled his eyes, sensing the dismissal but not taking it personally. The girl was clearly very uncomfortable with what had been happening, and he couldn't really blame her. He went again to the elevator, then had an impulse and turned back. "How do you take your coffee?"

"Pardon?" She sat up again.

"Look, I have to go do my run, I'll be about forty minutes. But I always get coffee on the way back, can I get you some? I can make up a bit for waking you up, and give you a better welcome to the floor than you've gotten so far." It was kind of presumptuous, but he figured what the hell. He turned back to the elevator and pressed the down button again.

"That would be really nice of you, thank you," the girl said, sighing. "Soy milk, please." She got up from the couch and walked over to him. "And I'm so sorry, I didn't introduce myself." She put her hand out, and he took it to shake. "Rachel Berry, freshman theater arts major." She gave him a bright smile.

Theater arts, no wonder she was so obviously out of place on the jock and cheerleader floor. And she was theatrical, no way would that go over well with Santana. Now, though, she seemed very genuine, even relaxed despite it all. Someone worth getting to know better, maybe. The elevator arrived, and he gave her a nod and got in. "Finn Hudson, backup Neanderthal." She winced at his dig, but he smiled. "Hey, don't worry about it. See you in forty."

* * *

"It's the best way I've been woken up in the last two weeks," Rachel said to herself as she fell back onto the couch, pulling the blanket over her. _Damn, why couldn't I have thought of that in time to have said it?_

_Sounds cheesy._

_Provocative, even._

_Still, I should have said something._

_Don't be stupid. I'm overtired, surrounded by all these horrible people, one friendly face and I'm going gaga and thinking I should throw myself at him._

_He still seems really nice. And cute. Well, handsome, just look at him... but a football player? Really?_

_It's Stockholm Syndrome. I've been taken prisoner by the jocks and I haven't had a good night's sleep since the ceiling caved in and I'm falling for the first guy who offers me coffee._

_I am not falling for him. I have only exchanged a few words with him. And sung a little, all right, and he does have a nice voice. But I am not falling for him. No._

She turned back to her pillow, hoping to get a little more sleep before the floor became too noisy. A few minutes later another ping from the elevator jerked her back into wakefulness; a quick glance over showed that her roommate's lowlife-of-the-night was finally leaving, shooting her a leer as he did so. She sighed.

Hurriedly returning to her room, Rachel piled her pillow and blanket on her bed. She ignored Santana's lazy smirk, going instead for her toiletry bag – still apparently untampered – and heading to the shower. She would have to start taking her bag with her in future, she realized. And have a rape whistle, just in case one of Santana's "guests" or one of the less kind football players took advantage of her vulnerability sleeping in the lounge.

Once showered and moisturized, her hair washed and her legs shaved, she felt a lot more like herself. At least first thing there weren't many in the showers. She was drying her hair as Santana came in, apparently having enough self-respect to at least try to scrub the skank taint from her skin.

Back in her room alone, Rachel could finally relax. This didn't last long, though, when she noticed that her desk contents looked rearranged, the books and binders definitely not how she'd left them the night before. At least everything seemed to still be there, and her laptop was locked in her desk.

Deciding that it wouldn't hurt to know more about her obnoxious roommate, and anyway turnabout was fair play, she took a careful look at Santana's desk. The papers were strewn about in a way that suggested nobody would notice if a few were moved, but still Rachel lifted only a few pages, and very carefully too. She found some cheerleading stuff, and a few pages written by someone else in crayon, including a drawing of Santana herself that actually made the Latina look quite pretty. Under it she found a page of Brittany's name, written over and over in Santana's hand; this intrigued her, but also made her realize that she had better not be caught snooping, so she carefully put every page back the way it had been.

It was hard not to wonder about what she'd seen, and what it might mean about Santana, despite the girl's obvious promiscuity among men. Rachel was tempted to look again, but caught herself; Santana could be back at any time. So she determinedly turned her back on the tempting pile of papers, looking back at her own desk. To distract herself, and because also in the "it wouldn't hurt to know" category was a little more about the guy bringing her coffee, she took out her laptop and looked up information about the Wright State football team. And there in the team list: Finn Hudson, position QB. Quarterback. And she thought she'd had a hard time dealing with Santana and her sycophantic cheerleaders, she had now insulted the entire football team to its quarterback... well backup he said, and the stats reflected this, zero starts but some playing time, and a bunch of other columns that meant nothing to her. She hoped they were good.

At least the quarterbacks are supposed to be the smart ones, well smart-_er_anyway. And she was already pretty much at the mercy of the people on her floor, so she didn't think he would drug the coffee or anything like that.

A knock at the door broke into her musings, and she snapped her laptop closed to hide this last of her snooping. And yes, there at the door was Finn, his face flushed.

"Hey."

She returned his smile. "Hi."

"Good to see you got back in."

"Yes." She giggled a little, self-conscious. "I suppose even Santana can't stand those losers once she's sober."

"Probably not." He held out a tall paper cup. "Your coffee. Soy milk, and I added a little nutmeg. Not sure why."

Rachel took the cup and sipped, enjoying the flavor combination (and she had to admit also the attention). "It's good. And the nutmeg is a nice touch. Thank you." She sipped again, pleased that he was lingering. "How was your run?"

"Ah – good, good." He shrugged. "Same old same old, really." He took a gulp of his own coffee. "Guess I'd better go clean the sweat off."

Rachel forced her eyes up to meet his again, away from where she'd been noticing that sweat had made his grey tee cling to his chest. "Thank you again, and I hope to see you around. Even when I haven't been shut out of my room."

"Sure thing. Welcome to McKinley 11."

Rachel watched Finn go, her mind diverted from her roommate troubles. Maybe living in this dorm wasn't quite the disaster she had thought.


End file.
